I am toying with the idea of doing some consolidation at the house and am considering selling my 12" 1.33GHz PowerBook and 17" 1GHz iMac and replacing both with the 1.42GHz mini linked up to my 20" Apple Display (that I paid too much for back in August!). I will still have my G3 800MHz iBook for DJ work (I might do a full write up on digital audio on the mac down the road).

If I go back to one machine for home use it will be used by both my wife and myself. She does a lot of photo slide shows and DVD burning so I was really hoping for an 8X DVD option. On another note...can anyone confirm any truth to the rumor that the new Lacie external Dual Layer drive is compatible with iDVD? I cannot remember where I read that but am skeptical.

I purchased the 1.42 GHz mini for my parents last month and so far they seem to be enjoying it. My father has limited experience in a windows environment but my mother has about 0 computer experience so I thought Mac was the best way to go. I played with it quite a bit the weekend I was there and since they could only get dial up internet I had a hard time judging speed. It did seem to slow way down using multiple apps on the stock 256MB of memory, I guess the memory upgrade is a must.

So basically I am asking those of you lucky enough to have your new toys to share some experiences on day to day use and if you have any regrets.

Windows...yuck! So far so good here with no regrets. The only two disappointments I have with my mini is that I didnít get AE/Bluetooth installed "my fault" and the hard drive is REALLY slow "Apple's fault". Upgrading the memory is a must but that can be said about any Mac that comes with 256mb. I'm mostly using the mini for email, surfing, iPhoto, iTunes, MS office, and Photoshop and the performance is average. I do know that some external drives are now supported iDVD but Iím not sure about the Lacie Dual-Layer drive. Would I buy another mini "yes"! Would I recommend the mini "yes"! Should I have waited for Tiger "yes"! _________________14" 1.25GHz G4 iBook (died)
1.42GHz Mac mini (almost dead)
1.66GHz Core Duo Mac mini (sold)
2.0GHz Core 2 Duo Mac mini '09 (sold)
2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 Mac mini

I have the LaCie DL DVD USB burner. It does work with iDVD but you have run a patch to setup a profile or something for it. iDVD doesn't work with external DVD burners by default. A friend sent me the patch and I don't have it anymore, but I'd bet Google can find it._________________Mac mini powered up on 2-11-2005

I don't hate Windows...being a "security guy", it provides a lot of job security for me.

I have made a decision to no longer help friends and family with their PC's if they buy new systems and run Windows on them. They can either buy a Mac, or I will set them up with a user-friendly distro of Linux. Spyware and Adware is just too rampant now to even mess around. (and since there is money to be made in that market, it is only going to get WORSE)

And yes, I know, many of you run Windows and don't have a problem with malware. However, you ALSO don't need someone else to help you maintain your system, so you are less likely to get malware in the first place. ("cool! a FREE weather program for my system tray!") _________________ -=iMav=- http://geekhack.org

I don't hate Windows...being a "security guy", it provides a lot of job security for me.

I have made a decision to no longer help friends and family with their PC's if they buy new systems and run Windows on them. They can either buy a Mac, or I will set them up with a user-friendly distro of Linux. Spyware and Adware is just too rampant now to even mess around. (and since there is money to be made in that market, it is only going to get WORSE)